I grew up in parts of Oklahoma, and when I was young I had a few friends I got to hang out with when I was younger. Katie was one of those girls. We had sleepover, hangouts and lots of fun. When I left oklahoma....i was always heartbroken to leave friends behind, but we wrote letters. And yes, I still have a majority of those letters in a box. We exchanged school pictures over the years....We talked about random things and life. I have this huge collection of how she photographically grew as a lady from young to high school and then we just lost contact. Somewhere between me consistently moving and losing her information...we were kept apart for many years. I would do online searched to see if she showed up. I seemed to remember bits and pieces of where she *COULD* live...or where was she?
I found her parents' and brothers' names and searched for YEARS on myspace and facebook. Until ONE DAY.....I saw on the people search her last name had finally changed (even though she had been married for years). I looked up her new name and there she was on facebook. I saw her face and knew INSTANTLY it was her! I was sooooo happy to finally connect!!!!
Not only that, but found out she had stayed put for quite a few years in one town...making it a little easier to find her now! HAH!!!!! So needless to say, when I went to After Dark in STL, she was able to come meet me because she lives close to there. I was never so happy to hear those words...."I'm taking the day off and I'm driving down"! I had only imagined this day would happen where I could see her face to face and just catch up! I was EXCITED! I was in my hotel room and we met, like barely time had passed really since the last time we spoke. I got to hear how things are for her life and I got to share bits of my life! Oh....how it would have been neat to know where each other were for our mutual weddings. :) heheeh!!!!
Anwyays....I took a few informal pictures at the Arch (thanks to Katie for taking me!)....and had a lovely lady and local photographer named Kristin Scully come out to take a few pictures of us as well. I just wanted something really really nice that I could frame and say "wow, THERE IS KATIE!". I just have no words to how God has connected the dots for me when I didn't give up. I wanted to see her again, AND I DID!!!!!! So thankful for that!
Thanks to everyone for my trip to STL - you all made it amazing, learning, challenging and loving.
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